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[Part Two] On Netflix’s Avatar The Last Airbender, What’s Missing and the Why The Spirit World Matters

Not even a live-action adaptation of Avatar The Last Airbender can escape the scrutiny of being compared to Star Wars when a prodigy is concerned.

By now, most viewers have seen Netflix’s Avatar The Last Airbender. It’s not completely perfect when considering the high expectations many fans of the cartoon have. Whether that’s in a passing similiarity with Star Wars or something else, there’s plenty to notice.

One scene that I couldn’t help shake concerns how Brother Gyatso is defending Aang. He dotes upon him like a father, arguing he’s not ready much like how Qui-Gon Jinn argued against the council regarding young Anakin. Both aren’t ready for the heavy responsibility that’s expected for a prodigy.

There’s also in getting the characterizations right or hoping that favourite episode gets realised. In regards to the latter, this series is rather sneaky in referring to those “deleted episodes.” When rewatching the series, the references to them without having to tell that tale are rather smart. Not everyone will see it, as a fan would need to know the series by heart to catch them. For example, those canyon crawlers from “The Great Divide” made an appearance, and there’s a vague reference to “The Fortuneteller” to show that the writers of the series is not above inserting Easter Eggs into the series.

Continue reading “[Part Two] On Netflix’s Avatar The Last Airbender, What’s Missing and the Why The Spirit World Matters”

The Quest in Netflix’s Avatar The Last Airbender Means Appeasing All the Fans Than Just Bring in New Ones

There’s lots to like and not like in this live-action adaptation of Avatar The Last Airbender. For the most part, the essentials elements are laid out to make this story work.

Light spoiler alert

Although franchise creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino departed the Netflix project to bring Avatar The Last Airbender to a live-action format early during development, I’m sure not every fan will care. What’s presented has everything one expects and wants to go yip-yip on. The humour is downplayed and the world looks fantastic. Most of the special effects work and the wuxia elements added in are enough to get fans excited whenever Aang (Gordon Cormier) goes full on Avatar mode!

The great thing about this version is that it’s not a carbon copy of the original. It takes enough from the cartoon and just how it all begins is unexpected! By offering more backstory helps frame what’s to come, and for those who memorised the series, the added elements give this take a lot more weight. Fire Lord Ozai’s (Daniel Dae Kim) motivations were never made fully clear, and what’s offered here sets him up as that cruel warlord who feels uniting the world under his vision is the future.

Overall, the performances are excellent. Although Gordon Cormier is not as spunky as his cartoon counterpart, to translate that aspect of Aang’s personality would’ve been overkill. Kiawentiio really nails it as Kitara, a soon-to-be waterbender who wants to protect her village. I get the feeling she’ll be the next Zendaya. And Ian Ousley presents us his take on who Sokka is. As for how much of a ladies’ man he’ll become, what’s teased at here needs more development!

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Zom 100: Is That Bucket List of the Dead Half Empty or Half Full

Just how many things Akira managed get done in Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a game in itself, as we couintdown this infinite progression!

Netflix

Sometimes it is tough to find a unique zombie film that can take this genre to the next level. Whether that’s with blending it with some other style or just coming up with a unique story idea. I waited for October to roll around before watching Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. And what it delivers is perfect for those wanting another reason to avoid swimming in the sea. Although that season is over, what’s revealed here is a compressed version of the manga (and perhaps the television show too).

Now that some appetites have been whetted, I doubt anyone wants fish sashimi that’s way past their date of expiry. Instead, what’s presented here isn’t quite like Zombieland. What I find is a hodge-podge mix of George Romero style commentary, an attempt to compress the manga/anime into a singular film and a protagonist who isn’t alwaya 100% there.

Here, Akira Tendo (Eiji Akaso) is pretty much a slave. Although he has a good job at a corporation, life isn’t sweet as his boss pushes him around, and he’s asked to burn the midnight oil. Pretty soon, he just wants to quit. But before he can do that, a pandemic has wiped out most of Japan and those who haven’t been infected by this mysterious virus have to fend for themselves. His skills as a football star don’t really amount to anything in this film.

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When Season 3 of Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Packs Too Much In, Breaking It Up Is Important

As much as I enjoyed watching the Dumont bandits make their last hurrah in Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, their fates are no longer intertwined and I’ll just leave it at that.

DreamWorks Animation

Po has certainly grown since becoming the Dragon Warrior back when Kung Fu Panda first started. He had to deal with classic wuxia style villains in the movies, face many foes in the television series, train a new generation in The Paws of Destiny and, with The Dragon Knight, prove his worth elsewhere. He’s lost the former title, and the difference may well rest in where he’s honoured.

Much of the third season takes place in England and it feels drawn out. After the events of the much shorter second season at Tikal to locate the Tianshang weapons, simply retrieving them and becoming the new custodians isn’t enough. They’ll have to destroy them. I had to rewatch much of the prior season to remind myself about what went on, and then realised, perhaps viewing the first again would also help refresh my memory.

Instead of sailing a straight line to that nation, a cruise through the Caribbean is required and they encounter pirates! (“The Trial of Mr. Ping” and “Baddie Issues”). Continue reading “When Season 3 of Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Packs Too Much In, Breaking It Up Is Important”

When Jackie Chan’s Team-up In Hidden Strike Is No Rush Hour

Not all action-star pairings can work, and Hidden Strike demonstrates why producing a spec script can be problematical when the stars aren’t always on board.

Jackie Chan ‘s films are often entertaining, but in Project X-traction (aka Hidden Strike on Netflix), the movie struggles to make it to first base. I was hardly excited to wonder if this star can make it to second. After his home run with Ride On, his next film can barely get out of the gate.

This action thriller where he meets John Cena appeared on my Netflix recommendation list and I wished it didn’t. That’s because despite some high octane action, not even this former wrestler can steal the show. He has a lot more better moments than Chan, and that’s not saying much. Here, this lead is supposed to be in charge! Instead, he’s just a commander of a rescue team sent to free Chinese workers from an oil refinery in the Middle East. It’s under attack, and although that extraction was successful, getting out of the region will prove difficult. Luo’s team (Chan) he has to blaze through The Highway of Death and it was too Mad Max for me. Continue reading “When Jackie Chan’s Team-up In Hidden Strike Is No Rush Hour”